Awakening
by Sine amore nihil est vita
Summary: To experience an awakening as a twenty-something is only bound to bring about confusion. Sai settles for avoidance, and it leads to a misunderstanding with Ino. One-shot


**A/N: I went for a more suggestive and demure piece. Everyone should have seen this one coming for Sai.**

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Although Sai lay still in bed, he was by no means at peace. Currently, he was being plagued by the same vivid dreams which had accosted him in his sleep as of late. A film of sweat had accumulated across his skin as it always did when intimate situations involving himself and a certain kunoichi played out behind his closed lids.

It was abrupt, but Sai violently fell back into consciousness. His eyes sprang open, and that familiar uncomfortable feeling of his clothes being too confining soon followed for blood had pooled at his centre. Sai's heart was already beating fast despite only waking up mere seconds ago. There was a heavy sigh that escaped Sai's lips as his hand came up to hold his head. _Again…_

Had he turned into a mere beast now? Only to be driven by primal feelings? Why could he not think of anything else but _her?_

Grumbling Sai was quick to have a cold shower before trying to go about his usual morning routine. When Sai eventually ventured outside the very realisation that he now saw the world differently became genuinely apparent. His innocence had been lost as he recognised the difference between the genders and his subsequent attraction to women. Such recognition was truly ridiculous at his age for this was reserved for the prepubescent and adolescents. Sai's sexuality now coloured his thoughts, and he was utterly distressed by the transformation which had occurred within him for he had not expected such a thing. It shouldn't have happened to Sai at his age. Surely, he should have passed such a developmental stage. Sai knew all too well who the culprit for his awakening had been. She popped her head out of the doorway of her shop then as he passed by at that moment. None the wiser of the turmoil she had caused in her wake.

_Miss beautiful._

Sai's body reacted on its own accord to her: the way his heart was sent beating hard once more and the flush of heat. Never had Sai noticed the curve of her chest or how much of her skin was exposed to him. Ino had a beautiful form, and she embodied the essence of a grown woman which now seemed to be his poison.

Ino spoke yet Sai did not register her words. Instead, his eyes were transfixed on her soft pink lips and instead of anything chaste, he wished to deliver a biting kiss. The familiar pooling occurred. Sai was quick to remove himself from the situation and kept to his forward trajectory towards the academy as he had students to teach.

"Sai," he heard Ino called after him, her voice completely perplexed.

The sky was overcast which was ideal for Sai's heated body. Sai dragged his feet as his shoulders slumped. There had been many other by-products of his awakening, and they were like ripples in a pond. Sai now found himself caring about his appearance, and as such feelings of insecurity soon surfaced. He wanted to impress Ino and for her to see him as physically desirable. He had once thought that such notions were stupid when reading a book on adolescent development. But now...

~ooOOoo~

It was not to be that Ino simply accepted that Sai didn't want to be around her. He was sure that she had noticed how he recoiled at any attempt she made to get close to him. Of course, Ino had.

Sai found himself cornered one day in the entrance to his home as Ino had determinedly followed him.

"What's going on, Sai?" she asked him outright.

Sai averted his eyes before holding out his hand to keep her at arm's length. "I just want you to stay away from me," he pleaded.

"Why?" Ino asked desperately, "What have I done? Have I upset you? Or are you angry with me?"

The hurt in her voice was too much to bear. Sai loathed himself for inflicting such pain on to her. It was then that he mustered a faint amount of courage to at least say, "You've disturbed me. You won't let me sleep properly anymore."

From Sai's fleeting glance of her reaction, it became apparent that of all the responses Ino had anticipated this had not been one of them. It caused her mouth to flounder as she was at a complete loss.

Sai then tried to articulate the chaos which was raging within him, secretly hoping that she could help him come to terms with it. "I do not see you in the same way anymore.

A myriad of emotions flickered across Ino's face, but she soon settled for utter confusion as a frown formed on her brow. "W-What are you talking about?"

It was then that Sai was reminded of all the thoughts he'd had of her. Sai quickly turned his back on Ino. "I shouldn't have said anything. I can't explain…You'll hate me If I tell you."

Sai could sense that Ino had respectfully continued to keep her distance from him even though he could no longer see her and the understanding on her part only made Sai's self-loathing grow. His hands gripped into fists.

Ino had likely noticed the tension which had stiffened his back because she softly reassured, "I won't. I just want things to go back to how they were. I miss you."

Sai did not want to hear such sweet words as he focused on a specific part of her sentence. "Things can't go back to the way they were," he told her firmly while still staring at the wall opposite him.

"Why not?" he heard her gently coax like she had done a million times before. Ino had become a master of drawing out his inner self.

Sai curled into himself, and his chin met his chest as he tried to fight against her ability. Squeezing his eyes tightly, he cringed hard for he lost like he always did. "I see you as a woman now so I…I've imagined…" However, Sai did not finish, and his words became lost in the resulting silence. That is until an answering "Oh," of comprehension which made him flinch.

There was a light laugh then. "Is that all?" Ino asked her words laced with relief, "Sai, it's okay. What's happening to you is completely natural."

Sai did not want to be soothed by her, though. His arms went up into the air as he uncoiled himself so that he could pace about. "How can it be when I visualise you-When I see you as a sex object?" Sai shivered against the distaste. "You're more than that," he added, still unable to allow his eyes to meet Ino's.

"Sai honestly," Ino began, "People aren't just one thing. They are multifaceted, and we have many sides. You don't only see me like that. It is probably just a more predominate feeling in your current state."

_How can she be this understanding?_ Sai hung his head in shame, and his vision was only filled with the floor.

"Sai look at me," Ino urged then.

It took all of Sai's fortitude to turn around and comply with her request. Eventually, brown eyes met deep-set blue ones. Sai forgot how cool and inviting they could be. It had been some time since he had honestly looked at Ino. There was nothing in her expression, which indicated any negative emotions which he had thought she would feel at his revelation. All he was faced with was a pure smile.

"Oh, Sai. The way you see me is how I've seen you since I met you," Ino confessed to him then.

A gasping breath escaped Sai's chest. "What?"

Ino continued to smile but shook her head then. "Yes, and can you imagine how I felt? It was like I was sexually attracted to a man that was more of a boy because you were at that emotional age."

There was blustering heat which flooded Sai's body. "You find me attractive?" he asked. _The feeling is mutual? _Sai watched on as Ino immediately coloured when he repeated her admission.

It was Ino's turn to drop her gaze as she tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear. "Y-yes. Of course."

Unable to stay away too long, their eyes met once more, and with flushed cheeks, they both laughed awkwardly.

Sai rubbed the back of his neck vigorously as he was unsure of how to proceed.

Ino took over, despite suddenly feeling incredibly self-conscious. "I take it then that you want to alter the dynamics of our relationship?"

The question was what Sai had been contemplating since his feelings had changed. He had come to understand that It was the only option that would ensure the continuation of their relationship. If they did not evolve, Sai would go mad with want.

"I do," Sai admitted more vehemently then he intended. He then hastily made sure to add, "Only if you want too as well."

Ino's breathing stuttered then and Sai noticed how her hand held the collar of her purple top._ Is she feeling hot?_

"I really do. You've kept me waiting long enough," Ino confessed as her eyes darkened with desire.

It was the first time that Sai had registered such a look from Ino, and this, coupled with her words, was enough to cause a tickling heat to run through his skin. Was the transition supposed to be this easy?

"Don't react like that," Sai announced before stumbling away, knocking a chair over in the process.

Ino took to playfully pursuing him. "But I thought you wanted me," she teased.

"Enough," Sai pleaded for his body was betraying him, yet he wanted to give in to it.

"We could easily have our first time right here right now,"Ino proposed with unbridled enthusiasm. It became apparent to Sai that his dream version of Ino acted in a similar way to the real Ino.

With this new development, Sai would likely be wrapped around Ino's finger in no time and at her mercy. Who said foes were more dangerous?

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**The End**


End file.
